PARLIAMENTARY GOSSIP.

Thames Star, Volume XVI, Issue 5133, 30 June 1885, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY GOSSIP.

[By Telegbaph.]

(FEOM OtJE OWN COBBESPONDENT.)

Wellington, This day.

A meeting of the Freetrade Party was held this morning, at which about twentyfive members were present. Mr Fyke. Chairman, reported having seen the Premier in company with Mr Pearson, and submitted the resolutions passed at the previous meeting. The Premier replied by letter as follows :—" Referring to the resolutions adopted at a meeting of members re the proposed tariff, which you were good enough to hand me, I have to state that I shall have much pleasure in submitting them to the Cabinet. It is the iutention of Government to carefully and thoroughly scrutinise the suggestions that have -been made to them before bringing down the Customs Duties Bill, and it will be their aim to press as lightly on the industrial classes as possible, and especially not to hurt our nascent industries. Thanking you personally for the courteous way in which you have sub mitted the resolutions, belieTe me, etc, Bobt. Stout." The meeting passed a resolution thanking the Premier for the assurances given in the reply received, and again placed on record its disapproval of any increase of Customs duties at the present time. A Call of the Council takes place today, but all interest and enthusiasm in the matter seems to have evaporated.

Those members of the House of Representatives who are also connected with local governing bodies met yesterday to discuss the Ministerial proposals relative Ito local finance. Some thirty members ! were present, and Mr Lake presided. Several motions were proposed, one being that the Government should be asked to withdraw their' proposals j another that a committee of nine be appointed to consider the matter, and report to a future meeting; various other motions were pro* posed, but no unanimity of feeling could be evoked on any of them, and in the end none were-carried. Mr Ormond who was present strengly urged the \ meeting to declare that no system of local finance could be satisfactory that was not based upon local taxation. The meeting however could not agree upon this or any other course, and it waa finally dissolved by the arrival of the luncheon hour. The call of the Legislative Council is made the first order of to-day. All members absent without leave will be held guilty of contempt, Sir Greo. Whit.

more lias not taken his seat this session fearing that if he o'id so, the question of the legality of his so doing mijtht be raised. Sir Geo. Whittnore and bis friends also are averse t> asking the Council for leave of absence, for if tbnt was done it would be a tacit admisnion of the insecurity of his position. Probably the difficulty will be got over by the Governor granting him leave of absence.